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Majority of fathers support flexible working

Published: January 31, 2017

Many fathers would like their employers to offer good flexible working practices so they can maintain a good work/life balance.

Data from the 2017 Modern Families Index report shows 70 per cent of dads would appreciate flexible working arrangements so they can be involved more in the school run.

However, 11 per cent said their current managers do not support their life away from the office, while 47 per cent said they would rather move into a less stressful job if it meant they could spend more time with their family.

The survey also found 44 per cent of dads have lied about family commitments because they feared it could impact on their position at work.

Sarah Jackson, chief executive officer of Working Families, explained companies need to work with staff to help combine work with family life in a way that works for both women and men.

“Employers need to make all roles flexible by default, and having a healthy dose of realism about what can be done in the hours available to people is absolutely vital,” said Ms Jackson.

She called for the introduction of paid, extended periods of paternity leave to “send out a clear signal that government recognises the aspirations of modern fathers”.

Mitrefinch offers rostering technology that can make it easier for employers to monitor and schedule the rotas of staff around family commitments.

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